Phyllida Lloyd Movies
Longing to discover the identity of her true father before she exchanges her wedding vows, the daughter of a once-rebellious single mother secretly invites a trio of paternal candidates to her upcoming wedding in this feature adaptation of the beloved stage musical. Independent-minded single mother Donna (Meryl Streep) has always done her best to raise her spirited daughter, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), while simultaneously running a successful hotel on a small Greek island, but now the time has come for this hardworking mom to finally let go. In just a few days, Sophie will be married, and Donna will stand by bittersweetly as her little girl takes flight. Of course, Donna's lifelong friends Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) will both be present at the wedding, but unbeknownst to the mother, Sophie has furtively invited three very special guests of her own. When Sophie walks down the aisle on that fateful day, she wants her father to hand her off. The only problem is that Donna has never revealed the true identity of Sophie's father, leaving the resourceful future bride to narrow the list down to three potential candidates. Now, as three key figures from Donna's past return to the picturesque Mediterranean shores they all walked 20 years prior, one beautiful bride will discover the secret of her past while one lonely mother finds out that it's never too late for a little romance. Phyllida Lloyd, director of both the original London sensation as well as the hit Broadway incarnation, makes her feature directorial debut with this big-screen version of the beloved musical featuring 22 classic ABBA hits. Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, and Dominic Cooper co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, (more)
- 2005
- NR
Giuseppi Verdi co-wrote his operatic interpretation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth - with its text of lust, greed, bloodshed, and pathological ambition - around 1846. Verdi took the Shakespearean text and added a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, replacing the three foreboding witches with a chorus of witches in three-part harmony, beginning the final act with refugees gathering on the boundaries of England, and concluding with a chorus of bards celebrating the vanquishing of the tyrant, but other than these minor alterations, he generally sought to preserve the fundamental elements of Shakespeare's narrative. In this production of that opera, mounted by Phyllida Lloyd at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in 2004, Carlos Álvarez performs as Macbeth, with Roberto Scandiuzzi as Banquo, Maria Guleghina as Lady Macbeth, and Marco Berti as Macduff. The Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu accompanies the production, conducted by Bruno Campanella. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
English composer Benjamin Britten wrote and mounted his three-act opera Gloriana in 1953, for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Set in the sixteenth century, the work dramatizes the shifting relationship between Elizabeth I and the Earl of Essex. It opens (in Act One) with Mountjoy and Essex jousting for the Queen's favor. Although Mountjoy wins, Essex manages to woo Her Majesty away from the victor, who is also busy courting Penelope. Meanwhile, Essex threatens to declare war against Ireland. In the final act, he and the Irish rebel Tyrone manage to establish a truce, but Essex bursts in on Elizabeth to share the encouraging news - in her boudoir, at a moment when she is dressing. The monarch issues a death warrant on his head and refuses to officiate a pardon. The innovative director Phyllida Lloyd adapted Britten's opera for film cameras; that work ran on the BBC in 1999, and now appears in this home release. It features Josephine Barstow as Elizabeth I, Tom Randle as The Earl of Essex and David Ellis as Lord Mountjoy. The Chorus of Opera North, and The English Northern Philharmonia, under the baton of Paul Daniel, provide musical accompaniment. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
